Hadji Ali (c. 1888–92 – 1937) was a vaudeville performance artist famous for acts of controlled regurgitation. Thought to be of Egyptian extraction, his best-known feats included water spouting, smoke swallowing and nut and handkerchief swallowing followed by disgorgement in an order chosen by the audience. The mainstay of Ali's act was "water spouting". After swallowing large amounts of water, 60 to 100 glasses at a time, he spouted it in a continuous stream for a sustained period of time, sometimes approaching one minute. Ali's most famous stunt, and the highlight of his act, was drinking copious amounts of water followed by kerosene, and then acting by turns as a human flamethrower and fire extinguisher as he expelled the two liquids onto a theatrical prop. Ali had a dedicated following on the vaudeville circuit in the United States and performed for heads of state including Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Ali's unusual gastric abilities led to rumors that the Rockefeller Institute had offered a large sum of money to obtain his stomach post- mortem. After he died in England his body was offered to Johns Hopkins for study, though the offer was declined.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadji_Ali
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1851:
William Lassell discovered the Uranian moons Umbriel and Ariel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_(moon)
1912:
First Balkan War: Serbian forces defeated the Ottoman army at the Battle of Kumanovo in Vardar Macedonia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kumanovo
1945:
The UN Charter, the constitution of the United Nations, entered into force after being ratified by the Republic of China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and a majority of the other signatories. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Charter
1964:
The military court of South Vietnamese junta chief Nguyen Khanh acquitted Generals Duong Van Duc and Lam Van Phat of leading a September 1964 coup attempt against Khanh, despite the pair's proclamation of his overthrow during their military action. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lam_Van_Phat
2007:
Chang'e 1, the first satellite in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_1
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
miniver: A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, used since medieval times. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/miniver
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Praise the invisible sun burning beyond the white cold sky, giving us light and the chimney's shadow. --Denise Levertov https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Denise_Levertov